The present invention relates to patient-handling devices and particularly to folding beds. More particularly, the invention relates to automated tri-folding beds having multiple longitudinal support plates for supporting a mattress,-the support plates being tiltable and selectively rotatable about longitudinal axes to provide a V-shaped trough for holding a patient in a transversely tilted position on the bed.
Many disabled people, given the opportunity, would prefer to live at home with a spouse or other caregiver. Oftentimes this is not practical because of the inability of people with certain disabilities to move around, and in particular, to move back and forth while they are lying in a supine position on a bed. An aged spouse or caregiver is often frail and unable to give adequate or sustained assistance of the type needed to help the disabled person turn over on a bed. In some cases, the problems faced by sedentary people cannot be overcome and it becomes necessary to relocate such people to nursing homes or medical care facilities where nurses are present around the clock to help lift, support, transport, and otherwise move debilitated patients.
What is needed is an automated bed that can be used easily in either a home setting or a medical care facility by almost anyone to help move sedentary people from one position to another. Ideally, such an apparatus would be fully automated so that it could be controlled and operated by the person seeking increased mobility. In any case, the apparatus should be motorized and designed so that it can be operated by an aged or frail spouse or caregiver to turn the patient over while that patient remains lying down. Ideally, such an automated bed would be integrated into a comprehensive patient transport system for helping non-ambulatory patients move between beds, chairs, and bathroom facilities at home or in a medical care facility.
It is desirable to be able to move bedridden patients onto their sides from time to time for various reasons. For example, bedridden patients are subject to getting bed sores and can develop muscular discomfort if they are not moved regularly. In addition, moving the patient facilitates changing the bed linens and ministering to the needs of the patient.
Multi-position beds and adjustable sectional beds are known. For example, see U.S. Pat. Nos. 156,318 to Supplee; 1,740,906 to Rothauszky et al.; 2,284,470 to Comper et al.; 2,522,018 to Blackman; 3,013,281 to Steiner; 3,300,793 to Thompson; 3,875,598 to Foster et al.; 4,287,620 to Zur; 4,375,706 to Finnhult; 4,225,988 to Cary et al.; 4,658,450 to Thompson; 4,084,274 to Willis et al.; and 5,101,519 to Yamamoto.
According to the present invention, a tri-fold bed comprises a bed frame, means for supporting a mattress, the supporting means being pivotable between a horizontal planar configuration and a mattress folding configuration, and means for pivoting the supporting means about a transversely centered longitudinal axis. The pivoting means includes an actuating arm rigidly attached to the supporting means and horizontally disposed actuating means.
The actuating means is transversely mounted on the bed frame and has a first end rigidly attached to the bed frame and a second end coupled to a link which is, in turn, coupled to the actuating arm. The second end is movable between a compressed position, a centered position, and an extended position. When the second end is in the centered position, the supporting means is in the horizontal planar configuration. As the second end moves away from the centered position, the actuating arm pivots the supporting means about the central longitudinal axis from the horizontal planar configuration to the mattress folding configuration.
The supporting means includes a pair of outer support plates and a center support plate hingedly coupled to, and positioned between, the outer support plates. As the supporting means pivots toward the mattress folding configuration, one of the outer plates moves to a lowered position, and the other outer plate moves to a raised position, relative to the center plate.
The invention further includes a plurality of rollers coupled to the bed frame. When the supporting means is pivoted to the mattress folding configuration, the rollers interfere with the downward movement of the lower outer plate, causing the lower outer plate to rotate about its hinged connection to the center plate to form a V-shaped trough with the remaining plates for holding the patient in a transversely tilted position.
A transverse brace is attached to the center plate and extends transversely beyond the center plate to underlie and support the outer support plates. When the supporting means is in the horizontal planar configuration, the transverse brace supports the center plate and at least a portion of both outer plates. In the mattress folding configuration, the transverse brace supports the center plate and at least a portion of the raised outer support plate.
Additional objects, features, and advantages of the invention will become apparent to those skilled in the art upon consideration of the following detailed description of a preferred embodiment exemplifying the best mode of carrying out the invention as presently perceived.